


stuck in the shadows

by radicallyred



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Steve Rogers Feels, Superfamily (Marvel), Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-12 17:14:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18015014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radicallyred/pseuds/radicallyred
Summary: “Look at me.” Steve pleads, voice soft and gentle. “I don’t know how many times I need to tell you this, but you are not your father.” Tony nods, the motion stoic. “Peter drew something at school today.” Steve slides the paper across the counter to him. Tony is standing dressed in a suit and tie with a cape tied around his neck, flowing behind him with an SD; he can only assume it means Super Dad. In the drawing, Peter is holding his hand and they both have huge smiles on their faces. The drawing makes tears well in his eyes and slide down his cheeks instantly.





	stuck in the shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Both Stark parents and Sarah Rogers are alive, the events up to the cave in Iron Man happened but Steve was one of the soldiers who came to his rescue.

“Hey, you.” Steve announces as he walks into the lab. Tony smiles, still tinkering with the tablet in front of him. “I was wondering where you snuck off to.” Tony puts the tablet down when Steve places a plate of lasagna, salad and a piece of bread in front of him.

“Did I miss dinner?” Tony asks quietly. He blinks, looking at his watch. 7:22. Dinner was at 6:00. “Fuck. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, I swear--” Steve shushes him, wrapping his arms around Tony’s frame.

“It’s okay. Jim called.” Tony groans, pressing his face into Steve’s chest.

“What did he tell you?”

“Not much,” Steve says truthfully. “Just that your dad called, and that you had a bad day.” Steve kisses his forehead, forcing him to look him in the eyes. “Eat your dinner and then come upstairs. We’ll talk about it later.”

“I love you.” Tony murmurs, kissing his husband chastely on the lips. Steve hums into the kiss, smiling at the words.

“And I love you.” He swipes a thumb across his cheek as he leaves. Tony takes a bite of the lasagna and sighs heavily.

He finishes his meal and goes upstairs immediately to avoid the wrath of his husband if he did anything else. He’s met with the sight of six year old Peter reading his sight words to Steve as he feeds two month old Grace her bottle.

“Nice reading, bud.” Tony says resting a hand on the back of Steve’s neck, the other ruffling his son’s hair. Peter looks up proudly at his father and grins crookedly.

“Thanks, Daddy!” He leans into Tony’s side. “I’m all done, right Papa?” Peter asks. Steve nods and tells him to put his things back in his bag before he lets him go play.

“Daddy, come with me!” He pleads as he pushes his chair in. Tony strokes a thumb over his cheek and smiles at him.

“Go on, I’ll be there in a minute. I just have to talk to Papa about something.” Tony says and watches as Peter runs off. He sits in the newly discarded seat and watches his husband burp his daughter.

“I don’t like it when you throw yourself into busy work down there by yourself.” Steve says softly, not to startle the baby, but is looking at him seriously with worry coating his features. “It worries me.”

“I know.” He says lamely. “I’ll be fine, Steve.” He takes his daughter from her father and smiles as she coos at him, nuzzling into his chest. Steve sighs, knowing better than to argue with Tony when he gets like this, and he walks into the living room. Tony follows him and places himself next to Peter on the couch, the boy engrossed by some Disney Channel show. When he realizes that his dad is now sitting next to him, he launches into an animated story about something that happened with his friend at school, and how he stood up for the new girl Michelle when some mean kid was picking on her. He rambles into another story, yawning throughout, before he curls into Tony’s side, thumb sliding into his mouth. The couple watches the boy fight consciousness and just as he’s about to nod off, Steve slides his hand to his tiny leg.

“Okay, kiddo. Let’s go brush those teeth and get in bed, yeah?” Steve suggests, nudging him before he can really fall asleep. Peter nods, sliding off the couch and trudges up the stairs. Steve follows him and Tony looks down at the sleeping girl in his arms. She looks just like Steve’s mother, a fact he is distinctly happy about. Peter is all Tony; unruly dark curls, mischievous brown eyes, a knack for science even at a young age. The boy likes to get into everything, whether he should or not, is always moving and loves to cuddle (a trait he definitely got from Tony that Tony will deny until he dies.) Grace, though, has her father’s golden hair, starting to curl ever so slightly, beautiful bright blue eyes that make Steve’s look dull in comparison and the most perfect peaches and cream complexion. She’s an easy baby--much easier than Peter was-- and at just nine weeks old, she is sleeping through the night. Even better, though, is the fact that she is Sarah Rogers’ mini-me. If Tony didn’t love his mother-in-law so much, he would accuse Steve of doing it on purpose.

He’s pulled out of his revere by a fussy whine and mesmerizing blue eyes staring up at him. Tony shifts her so she’s cradled against his chest, hands gripping his shirt.

“You’ll still love me even if I mess up, right Gracie?” Tony asks. The girl blinks at him, bottom lip sticking out. “Okay, sweetheart. Let’s get you changed and into bed.”   
Tony begins her nighttime routine: diaper change, new pj’s, a bottle, burp, and then bed. It’s second nature to him by now, something his own parents were shocked to see. His parents. Howard.   
_You’ll never amount to anything with parenting like that._

_Just get them a nanny. We did that with you and you turned out just fine._

Tony shudders as he turns on the night light, a replica of the arc reactor both kids love so much, and makes sure the baby monitor is on before he leaves the room. Steve is just finishing up reading Peter his book, so Tony sneaks in, leaning on the door frame. The move is right out of Steve’s book, something he does when he just wants to observe Tony with the kids, and Tony understands why. Peter notices him, though, and makes sleepy grabby hands at him.

“Come cuddle, Daddy,” Peter slurs. Tony sits on the edge of his tiny bed and plays with his hair until his breathing evens out. Steve smiles at him in the way he always does when something is particularly endearing. Tony stands slowly, careful not to jostle the boy, and presses a kiss to his forehead. Steve guides him out of the room with a soothing hand on his back. Neither man says a word until they’re back in the kitchen. Steve busies himself by cracking open a bottle of wine, Tony watching his every move.

“I don’t know what he told you, but none of it is true, Tony. Not any of it.” Tony takes a glass from him and leans against the counter.

“He told me I would never amount to anything parenting like this.” Tony sighs, swallowing hard around the growing lump in his throat. “He told me to get a nanny, that he and mom did and I turned out okay.” Tony exhales deeply out his nose. “I’m just so afraid that I’ll fail.” Steve abandons his wine glass and takes Tony’s out of his hand. Steve has both hands resting on his cheeks, forcing him to look into his eyes.

“Look at me.” Steve pleads, voice soft and gentle. “I don’t know how many times I need to tell you this, but you are not your father.” Tony nods, the motion stoic. “Peter drew something at school today.” Steve slides the paper across the counter to him. Tony is standing dressed in a suit and tie with a cape tied around his neck, flowing behind him with an SD; he can only assume it means Super Dad. In the drawing, Peter is holding his hand and they both have huge smiles on their faces. The drawing makes tears well in his eyes and slide down his cheeks instantly.   
“That little boy thinks the world of you.” Steve says reverently. “And I know Grace does, too. You are such a great dad, Tony.” Steve cradles Tony’s face between his hands and thumbs away his   
tears. “You’re a wonderful father.” He kisses Tony’s forehead. “You’re an incredible husband.” A kiss to his nose. “And you are the best man I know.” A kiss to his lips.

“Steve,” He whispers. Steve shushes him with a soft kiss to his lips and pulls away with a smile.

“You are amazing. You are kind and smart and caring. You are Tony fucking Stark.” Tony gazes into Steve’s eyes with all the love and admiration he can muster.

“Stark-Rogers,” He corrects. “You’re stuck with me, big guy.” Steve smiles, tugging Tony impossibly closer.

“I wouldn’t want it any other way.”


End file.
